This year’s edition of the Nedbank Cross Country Olympic (XCO) National Championships are set to take place over this Easter weekend, 7 and 8 April, in Swakopmund.

The two-day national mountain bike race event will see cyclists compete in different race categories, which include U/14 and U/18 Boys and Girls, short course men and women, Under 12 Sprog boys, U/14 sub-junior girls, U/10 Nipper boys and girls, U/12 Sprog girls, U/16 boys and girls, U/14 Sub-junior boys, sub vet men and women, veteran men and women, master and grandmaster men and women, elite men and women, U/23 men and women, and junior men and women. 

Namibian cyclists taking part in the elite, U/23, and junior races will be battling it out for Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) points, which are an internationally-recognised points system for boosting each cyclists world ranking, which determines placement in international events like the Olympics. In this race, only Namibians can compete for UCI points. 

With close to 100 entries, the races will also see an introduction of the new E-Bike race category, and an XCC-Short Track category for elite cyclists, which is a race similar to XCO racing, but with laps typically under one kilometre in length and in a less technical terrain. The above categories have recently been included in the UCI’s World Cup circuit. 

The Namibia Cycling Federation (NCF), together with Cycles4U Swakopmund, are the organising partners of the Nedbank XCO series. 

Speaking about the upcoming Swakopmund race, general secretary of the NCF Elanor Grassow said that the NCF is ready to welcome all the cyclists to the event. 

“The track in Swakopmund maybe be technically different from the track in Windhoek, but I think the cyclists will have an exciting time on it. The track is suitable for different calibre of riders and for all age groups, as all the obstacles on the course have safe alternative routes around them. We would like to encourage all cycling fans and spectators to come and support our riders; I am sure we will witness exciting racing on both days,” she said.

Entries for the Nedbank XCO National Championships races in Swakopmund are open and all interested cyclists can still contact the NCF by emailing them at info@namcf.org for more information.